July 30th 2024,

Hello Chamisa Families!

I am excited to welcome everyone back and welcome all our new students and families to Chamisa this year. This is going to be another exciting year. There are so many things that are going on and have happened at Chamisa. First, Chamisa has been awarded a Structured Literacy School by the NM PED. Second, Chamisa will continue to partner with LANL in the Math Teacher Leader Network. Next, Construction is moving along smoothly, you can actually see the concrete slabs of classrooms now! The new school is scheduled for move-in during the fall of 2025. Also, Chamisa/LAOLA was named a 2024 innovative school in the areas of early literacy and math by TeachPlus New Mexico. Finally, Chamisa now has a new Assistant Principal. Please welcome Liz Meek to the Chamisa Family!

Chamisa and Los Alamos Online Learning Academy will continue to partner schools. Beverly Nelson has taken over the principal role at LAOLA, as well as continuing to serve Chamisa students as Librarian teacher. Our school theme for the year will be 1% Better Each Day.

The New Mexico Public Education Department has mandated that all public schools will be on a 180 day calendar and 1140 hours minimum teaching students. That has resulted in a daily schedule change. Our new daily schedule is Monday-Friday 8:10 am to 2:40 pm. We have a full day on Wednesdays now. There is no more ½ day Wednesday. Students should not arrive at Chamisa before 7:55am. We will continue to have our before school program. That will start at 7:30am. We will also continue to have before and after school tutoring, as well as school clubs. I have included the daily schedule in this newsletter, as well as the Chamisa Family handbook.

Breakfast and Lunch is free to all students. Breakfast will be served either right after the morning bell, or during snack time in the morning. Each team will decide when to schedule serving breakfast. That is to ensure breakfast does not interrupt academic time in the classroom.

We are completing our new Chamisa School Website. Once we get the website fully operational, it will be a one stop shop for all information regarding Chamisa. I will keep families updated on its progress.

Please take some time to review our welcome back newsletter. We have included much information to start the school year. You are welcome to call me at 663-2462, or email me at c.washnok@laschools.net, if you need any more information/clarification.

Here’s to a great 2024-2025 school year,

Craig Washnok

Principal

Chamisa Elementary

July 25, 2024

Dear Chamisa Students and Families,

Welcome back! I am so excited to be joining the Chamisa family. Truly! In my experience with Chamisa, the Chamisa students, families and staff are always so welcoming, kind, inclusive and fun to be around. Every time I’ve visited Chamisa, I feel like I belong: Chamisa exudes family and community. I felt at home when I visited Chamisa long before Chamisa became my new home. Chamisa is a community and I am glad to be a part of it. I am also impressed with the dedication and academic success of Chamisa students and parents!

I want to share a few things about myself so that you can get to know me a bit . I am a native New Mexican and was raised in Raton, NM. I attended the University of New Mexico. I began my career in education as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and have served schools in Colorado, Oregon and New Mexico for the last 23 years. I’ve worked with students across the age-range and enjoy the energy of elementary students. I come from a family of educators and believe in the value and power of public education. I am passionate about education for ALL students.

We moved back to New Mexico to be closer to family in 2007 and moved to Los Alamos in 2011. In that time, I have served in the roles of SLP, Special Education Contact and Assistant Coordinator of Students Services with LAPS. I am excited to add Chamisa Elementary to my experiences.

I have a fantastic family that includes a husband who is also an educator, two teenage boys, two dogs, and a guinea pig that will outlive us all. I enjoy time with family, being outside, gardening, reading, and sharing a meal with family and friends.

I would like to keep lines of communication open so please let me know if you have any questions and concerns. I look forward to partnering with you and can’t wait to meet your students!

Respectfully,

Liz Meek

Chamisa Elementary

Assistant Principal

Elizabeth Meek- Assistant Principal

Tammy Jaurigue – Upper Team Resource Teacher

Brad Gibbons -- Upper Team Resource IA

Analicia Leyba– Middle Team Resource Teacher

Taylor Pomeroy– Gifted Student Teacher

Drew Kirian – 6th Grade Math/Science.

Christine Monteith–3rd Grade Math/Science

Jen Thayer–ELL Teacher

Ksenia Stone– Pre-K SPED EA

Lenora Martinez– Custodian

Beverly Nelson- LAOLA Principal

Taylor Pomeroy - Gifted Student Teacher

Meet the teacher this year will be at 2:30pm on Tuesday, August 6th. Class lists will be posted in the front of the school at 2:15pm. Meet the teacher will last until 3:45pm.

• Bring in your school supplies
• Stop by the classrooms through their outside classroom doors
• Class Supply Lists
• Pre-K
• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade
• 6th Grade

*Please note this is a quick meet and greet, it is not a time to have an extended conversation with teachers*

1. Students are not to arrive on Campus before 7:55am.
2. Campus Gates will open at 7:55am.
3. Wednesday, August 7th-Friday, August 9th are full days 8:10am to 2:40pm
4. Before School Program will start on Monday, August 12th at 7:30am

• Before school application
• Chamisa Daily Bell Schedule
• Chamisa Specials Schedule

The Los Alamos YMCA will have after-school programs at each elementary school. For more information, click on the following link: https://laymca.org/after-school

LAPS will continue to offer a free breakfast and lunch to all of our students. This year LAPS will be utilizing the Offer Versus Serve (OVS) model pertaining to USDA and NSLP requirements. This

model will provide students with more of a choice for both breakfast and lunch service.

If a student has a dietary need (this includes vegan requests), this must be communicated to the school site nurse. The school site will inform our food service partner so they can prepare the

requested meal for the student. You can view menus online at

https://laschools.nutrislice.com/menu.

Even though all students can participate in the breakfast and lunch program we encourage all

families to complete the free and reduced meal program application. These applications are

used for other important funding opportunities which support the district and our students.

Also, students become eligible for reduced fees at school sites based on these applications.

Please use the online option at www.schoolcafe.com.

If you are unable to complete the online option please download a copy of the Free and

Reduced Meal Program Application. Instructions for this application can be found

at USDA Application Instructions.

Email the completed form to the Assistant Superintendent for Operations and Safety at m.johnson@laschools.net.

Chamisa Families:

Public school attendance in the State of New Mexico is compulsory under the “New Mexico Attendance for Success Act”. A student who attends a public school in New Mexico is expected not to exceed 5 percent absences per school year. That equates to 10 absences total for a 180 day school year. Students who accumulate more than 10 absences during the school year are considered truant. Any absences over 10 total are considered unexcused unless they are excused by the principal or a medical note. Habitual truancies require a meeting with the school administration. The school and parent will meet to discuss strategies to help reduce absences of a student. If a student reaches a total of 10 unexcused absences (20 total absences), parents can be referred to New Mexico CYFD.

Parents will receive an absence letter for their child’s 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 10th day of absence. A meeting with the principal/administration team will be requested after the 7th absence. Another meeting will be scheduled with the family by administration if their child reaches their 10th day of absence. The school will work with families to give support to create more consistent attendance.

Any students who become habitually absent are in jeopardy of being disenrolled or referred to the Juvenile Probation Office. The district has a legal obligation to provide students with an education and cannot do this if students are not present in school. The district is required to take action and report students with habitual truancies to Children Youth and Families.

LATE arrivals are also recorded. Students coming to school more than 5 minutes after the tardy bell has rung (8:10am) are considered LATE. Students who accumulate more than 5 LATE arrivals will be contacted by administration. The administration will work with the family to avoid the disruption to classes by a student’s LATE arrival. Students who arrive late miss important instruction that happens at the beginning of the school day.

Chamisa Attendance Policy:

Letters to Home:

3rd Absence

5th Absence

7th Absence

10 Absence

Meeting with Parent/Guardian:

7th Absence

10th Absence

3rd Unexcused Absence

5th Unexcused Absence

10th Unexcused Absence (20th total absences excused/unexcused)

–Meeting can also be a referral to New Mexico CYFD

LATE Arrivals to School: Over 5 minutes late to school (8:15am or later)

5th LATE Arrival– Meeting with Administration

• Parents will only use the main driveway or the gravel parking lot for drop off and pick up.
• Students should be ready to exit the vehicle on the passenger side upon stopping in the driveway
• Parents are not to exit the vehicle to assist students in the drop off lane
• Staff will be outside in the morning and afternoon to monitor the arrival and departure of students
• Any student who is dropped off after 8:30 is considered tardy.
• Students dropped off after 8:15 are considered LATE
• Parents must come into the office to sign their student into school after 8:10am

Parents Walking:

• Parents walking with students will drop off students in front of the school or at the playground gate
• Parents/students MUST use the crosswalk in front of the school
• Students will meet parents at the front of the school at the end of the day
• Gates will be closed at 8:10 and will reopen at 2:35

All Pre-K-6th parents,

You are invited to come meet Mr. Washnok in the Library and learn about Chamisa policies, policies, and procedures, volunteering, PTO, etc...

Wednesday, August 7th at 8:10am in the Chamisa Library

Chamisa is still in need of Educational Assistants. If you would like to work at Chamisa, or know someone who would like to work with children, please email Craig Washnok at c.washnok@laschools.net or Christina Gonzales at c.gonzales@laschools.net for more information to apply

New families to LAPS can go to a district orientation meeting on Tuesday, August 6th from 12:30 to 1:30pm.

Chamisa loves their volunteers!

If you would like to volunteer in your student's classroom, please speak to their teacher and then contact the office at 505-663-2470.

All volunteers are required to have a background check through the LAPS/HR dept. Once a background check is complete, the volunteer will receive a district ID badge (Background checks are good for two years).

Procedure:

1. Schedule an appointment with Christina Gonzales at 505-663-2222 or email c.gonzales@laschools.net

2. Pick up you badge at district office once the background check is complete (you should receive a phone call from HR)

3.Let us know that your background has cleared and you are ready to volunteer!

4. Volunteer all year long.

Here is the route information for the afterschool ATC:

• Route 11 - White Rock Area will depart from the Pinon Area at 2:45 pm onto Meadow Ln. and depart the Chamisa Area at 2:52 pm.

August

Tues, August 6 Meet the Teacher, 2:30 all grades

Tues, August 6, LAOLA Only - Registration/Chamisa Library 9:00-11:30

Wed, August 7 First Day of School Los Alamos Public Schools - all grades

Thurs, August 29 Chamisa Elementary Open House, 5:30-7:30

Monday, September 2 NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

Friday, September 27 - Noon Dismissal, LAHS Homecoming Parade